The Big Finish: Goodbye to Gourmet

It was delectable while it lasted, but now, we'll have to bid our final bon appetit as Gourmet magazine, the nation's oldest food magazine, is ceasing publication after 68 years of being in business.

In honor of the beautiful food photography that got your digestive juices flowing, the intriguing recipes that you dared to try and the cool, funny, thoughtful essays which waxed passionately about the subject of food, we give you a rundown of Gourmet's favorite cocktails from 1941 (when the magazine was first launched) to 2009. That's rights, seven decades of libations. If you can't find something in this list to please your most persnickety party guest, well, give them all of your back issues of the heralded mag to learn a thing or two.

Here's what they might learn:

The Manhattan (1940s): "It has always seemed to this native that the official recipe for a Manhattan should call for a rye whiskey, since that is the standard liquor used in New York City itself, whence the name of the drink. As in the case of the Martini, the Manhattan, with its Vermouth content, must be stirred or "spooned" rather than shaken, when finally you have added ice and are ready to chill the potation. If you shake this drink, or "rock the baby," the Vermouth will cloud."

Recipe: In a cocktail shaker combine 1/3 French (dry) Vermouth, 2/3 rye whiskey, and a dash of Angostura bitters. Stir in cracked ice, and strain into a cocktail glass which has been prepared with a maraschino cherry.

The Singapore Sling (1950s): "The lime juice in this recipe is somewhat controversial and was not part of the original formula (equal parts gin, cherry brandy, and Bénédictine, which is too sweet for most palates), but trust us, the drink needs it. The cherry brandy we were calling for was probably dry, so try using kirsch or one of the excellent cherry eaux-de-vie made by producers like Reisetbauer.

Recipe: In a shaker combine the juice of half a lime, 1 teaspoon grenadine, 3/4 ounce cherry brandy, 2 ounces gin, and a dash of benedictine. Pour the liquid into a Collins glass filled with crushed ice and stir vigorously. Fill the glass with sparkling water, garnish with a slice of orange and sprig of mint, and serve with straws.

Mojito with Basil (2000s): "Around 2005, the Basil Mojito became the cocktail geek's cocktail. Any bar that hoped to be taken seriously as a temple of culinary mixology had to have a variation on that theme. Putting herbs in savory drinks isn't a big leap, and of course mint goes with every spirit, and though there's no pomegranate foam involved, this was a pretty bold move."

Recipe: 2 fresh mint sprigs, chopped 2 fresh basil sprigs, chopped 1 tablespoon sugar 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) light rum chilled club soda or seltzer Garnish: fresh mint and basil sprigs and lime slices In a tall glass with back of spoon crush mint and basil with sugar and lime juice until sugar is dissolved and stir in rum. Add ice cubes and top off drink with club soda or seltzer. Stir drink well and garnish with mint, basil, and lime. Makes 1 drink.

There are 137 more to see here.

Make one soon and raise your glass to Gourmet.

:Photo: Ilker@sxc.hu